


Fragments

by skellux



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Prepare for a very slow burn., Undertail, Yeah this is... Gonna be something, undertale - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-07 00:06:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18861706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skellux/pseuds/skellux
Summary: It gets pretty lonely in the Void.Celestine doesn't know where she comes from. Neither do Sans and Papyrus.When a Human falls into the Underground and begins a Genocide route, there's little they can do to prevent the occurrence.Upon a reset, Sans becomes obsessed with the idea that Celestine is the key to discovering their Histories.But will the information be exactly what he had bargained for?--Intending for a very slow-burning relationship between an OC and Papyrus. Don't worry, there'll be some Sans action later down the line.I have many plans for him. You'll just have to wait and see!





	Fragments

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to my first chapter. I realise I plunge right in without explaining much about Celestine. For now, her history is uncertain, but I will briefly describe her here so a general idea is known.
> 
> She stands at around Five foot Eight, has long, waist-length pink hair and pointed elf-like ears. Her nose is petite and button-like and she has two small horns protruding from her head. I do not yet have an up-to-date reference for her!
> 
> Regardless, enjoy the first chapter of "FRAGMENTS"! 
> 
> :)
> 
> (I also apologise in advance.)

Something wasn't right. Celestine had known it from the moment she had finished her shift at the little bakery at MTT’s in Hotlands. It had grown uncharacteristically quiet and empty outside the restaurants doors. Whilst she meandered in the direction of Waterfall, releasing her long pink hair from the bun that held it upon her head, a passer-by had questioned why she had not joined the rendezvous at the Lab. She had only quirked a brow, an echo of the question leaving her lips before being met with an answer that twisted her stomach. _‘A Human is causing mass Genocide. They’ve finally come to finish us off.’_ , they had said. Those very words made her feel nauseous. Pace quickening, she made her way through the long reeds in Waterfall, her heart hammering in her chest.

_Please let them be okay._

_Please let them be okay._

Pulling her cell out from the pocket of her dress, Celestine pressed the speed-dial for Papyrus’s number. After several rings, she was shunted to voicemail. A suspicious thing where Papyrus was concerned - he never usually missed a beat. Tucking her hair behind her pointed ears, she grimaced as she swallowed the bile rising in her throat. She shifted her trembling fingers across the screen, willing herself to not cry. She began calling Sans. He picked up after the second ring.

"Sans." Her voice wavered, the anxiety washing over her. "Is Papyrus with you?"

"Woah, hey, kiddo, are you-" Sans was cut off – there was no time.

" _Is he with you_?" The tone she used caused Sans to audibly suck in a short breath and hold it for a few moments. It was like he knew.

"No, but he only left the house a few minutes ago." He spoke slowly, his question lingering within his mouth. There was something about the way she had spoken that made his anxiety spike – even now, he found himself ambling his way down the stairs and towards the front door. Now that he thought about it, it sounded quiet outside. His thoughts shifted to the kid himself and his brother had run into earlier – he had sworn to the Lady on the other side of the door to the ruins he would let no harm come to them… But… His enquiry left a bitter taste behind as he allowed it to vocalise itself. "What happened?" He could hear movement through the earpiece of his cell phone. It sounded like she was panting. "Celestine??"

"I'm—" The audio fizzled out, but it sounded as though she were trying to find the right words. "I'm in Waterfall," He made out. "Hum.......... en down........ killed........ ack to.............. Sn-ow....." Sans was met with the continuous beeping of a disconnected call. He slipped his cell into one of the pockets in his shorts. Shutting the door behind him, he made his way to the eastern side of Snowdin, the fog thickening around him as he neared. His expression was knotted into a grim frown, eye lights dimming as he shoved his hands into his pockets – that’s why it was so quiet. The town had been forced to evacuate. He hadn't known that _this_ was why. He thought the kid had gone back to the Ruins. Voices drifted to his senses from afar, slicing into his thoughts... No, just a singular voice. It didn’t take long for him to realise the voice belonged to Papyrus. He hadn't realised his pace quickened, but the metallic glint that glinted maliciously in the light swiftly caught his attention. He had to be quick or he would be too late.

On the other side of the ever-thickening fog, nearing the far western side of Waterfall, ran Celestine. Her stride long and reckless, while tears prickled at her eyes, more from the oncoming cold that stung them than anything else. The anxiety that wracked her to her core made her want to throw up. She couldn't give up yet - not when her distress was driving her so rapidly in the direction of Snowdin. She wasn’t too late. She couldn’t be. She hoped Sans would already be wherever Papyrus was. She hoped he had found him before the Human had. It had been about eight months since she moved from Hotlands to Snowdin - She had built a little cottage in the woods behind the town, away from the central hubbub of the town. Sans and Papyrus had found her during their patrols; at the time, she had just finished up the foundations. Papyrus was so enthralled by the idea of helping someone build a house, Sans left him there whilst he continued the patrol. Celestine had later discovered he'd been slacking off at the bar at the heart of Snowdin, Grillby's, and Papyrus had suddenly become less inclined to help. Sans seemed to change his work ethic during that time - it had appeared as though he had become more interested in Papyrus making friends. Papyrus had mentioned previously that he didn't have many friends - Celestine didn’t understand why; his intentions were well-meant, genuine and, although his vocals were louder than most, his heart was kind and he seemed very up front about what he was thinking and feeling. Perhaps most monsters were intimidated by his raw honesty. They'd been close ever since and Sans seemed happy about that - they had both shared their protective natures over Papyrus and, with Sans dealing the damage and Celestine providing healing magic, they knew they could protect him. In the Underground, though, there wasn't much to protect him from - until today. They’d become too comfortable and let their guards down.

Celestine had heard fragments of the rumours of a human that had fallen down on her journey - the Queen had fallen in the Ruins, her dust scattered in her wake. The red eyes that gleamed in the darkness. The wall of fog into Snowdin seemed to carry the same blanket of dread that she had felt while she ran. It began to envelope her with malice as her pace slowed across the bridge, Papyrus's voice reaching her. He sounded anxious. Papyrus  _never_  sounded anxious.

"This is exactly what I am talking about!" His voice rang through the fog. "Human! I think you are in need of guidance. Someone needs to keep you on the straight and narrow! But worry not, I, Papyrus, will gladly be your friend and tutor!" Celestines pace picked up again. She knew where this was going. She felt like she'd seen it all before… But where?

"I see you are approaching... Are you offering a hug of acceptance?" She could see him now, his red scarf blowing gently, almost ethereally in the breeze. She had to put an end to this and fast. The distant flash of two white specks alerted her of Sans’ presence. Why was he not approaching? A metallic glint caught her eye as she watched him begin to kneel before the Human, arms outstretched. Celestine could see the near-demonic glimmer of red beneath the Humans short brown hair. The way they stood untremblingly before the skeleton before them. The way their hand was clasped around the knife. The knife. Celestine jolted forwards once again, mouth opening to call out to him but no sound came from her. Her throat had become too tight. Papyrus hunched over slightly, his hands grasping at his scarf and his chest. "Oh..." He said hoarsely. "That's... not what I expected... But still! I believe in you. You can do a little better... even if you don't think so! I... I promise..." The Human did nothing but glare on as Papyrus began to lose his balance, their gaze shifting over his shoulder as Celestine neared them. They made no other movements, their mouth twitching slightly, twisting in a small grimace.

Celestine dove to catch Papyrus as he fell slowly backwards, Sans appearing at her side and grasping the both of them with his hands. She looked upwards at the human once more. They could see them better now - their red eyes, the dust of fallen monsters covering her hands like a pair of gloves knitted by death itself. She watched their expression as it shifted from a twisted grin to a look of absolute horror. The knife slipped from their grasp, landing with a soft thud upon the snow-laden ground and their eyes flickered to a deep brown beneath their hair, cast downwards at their hands as though they had realised what it was they had just done. Celestine met their fearful stare as she was plunged into the void by one of Sans’ shortcuts.

Suddenly, they were in one of the Labs lower floors. Sans had placed them within a quiet room towards the back where none would find or disturb them. There were two beds here and old, dusty toys lay upon some low-down shelves. Most notably to Celestine, a completed rubik's cube. Her gaze lowered to Papyrus’s, who she seemed to be cradling within her lap. He looked up at her weakly, his usual grin wavering ever so slightly. Sans looked on at the two, shifting at Celestine’s side as she ran her hands down Papyruses chest, a pink light emitting from her trembling fingertips as she gritted her teeth, fighting back the tears of anger, fear and regret that threatened to forfeit her façade. She was healing him to the best of her abilities, but it wasn’t good enough - his body was disintegrating quicker than she could repair. Cursing under her breath, she blinked and hunched over him, sobs wracking her body.

“Mind your words, Celestine.” Papyrus said weakly, lifting a hand to wipe away the tears upon one of her cheeks. “There may be... young minds around...”

“I’ve failed you.” She whispered suddenly. “I'm so sorry I should have-”

“Never.” He interrupted quietly. It was strange to hear him so weak, yet despite his condition he still held his usual dominant demeanour and seemed irrationally calm. “You have never let me down. Neither of you have.” Sans settled at her side and gently put a hand upon his brothers shoulder. His expression was hauntingly indifferent, as though he'd seen this a thousand times before. Papyrus glanced at him knowingly, then back towards Celestine who continued to fruitlessly heal him, delaying the inevitable.

“You have lived before without me present. You will be alright! You are stronger than you...” He paused, inhaling sharply to dull the pain in his chest. “Give yourself credit for...”

“Papyrus, I-”

“You have to promise me you're... not going to blame yourself. Regardless of my physical form I will… always be with you both.” He shuddered slightly, as though he were cold. Celestine lowered her forehead to his, feeling Sans move his free hand to rest lightly upon her back in useless comfort - nothing could comfort her through this.

“Celestine,” Papyrus whispered, barely audible. “You are going to have to let me go now, okay? I can feel your magic weakening. Please do not hurt yourself for me.” 

“P- Papyrus I c- can't...” She stammered, feeling his hand move to her own; she could feel the miniscule amount of energy he used to try to pry her hands away from him.

“You must.” He replied simply, feeling her resistance to his movements lessen. He felt her magic deplete and could feel the exhaustion within her SOUL as he, himself, felt the dusting process begin. Celestine let out a soft sob that she tried her best to retain.

“I don’t… want you to go.”

“S- sorry…”

And then he was gone.

Celestine curled inwards into herself while Sans held her gently. She could not see the anger upon his expression as he glared down upon the red scarf left behind and the pile of dust that lay scattered around it. He'd seen this so many times now. They always gave them what they wanted, stripped them from their happiness and then quit, leaving them waiting for the next human to come along so they could live through it all again. No one else remembered but Sans and Papyrus. Each time it happened losing his brother hurt all the same - the tears that once plagued him had receded. He almost expected a reset these days, but the pang of  _what if_  echoed like a bullet through his skull. Then again... He glanced down at Celestine who remained frozen in place, the grief she was experiencing was as intense as his first time. This was the first reset in which Celestine had appeared; that had to mean  _something_ , hadn't it? Sans reached forward slow and deliberate, to take the scarf before them into his hands with fragile fingers, as though he were terrified it would disintegrate similarly to his brother. Celestines sobs had decreased to small, inferior sniffs. He could feel the same energy ebb off her that he felt all that time ago. What he had felt every day since. What he still felt now. She looked up at him, heterochromatic gold and blue eyes filled with something he had never seen in the SOULs of monsters. In fact, he felt intimidated by it. Celestine knew mercy and he knew that she would not harm another being, even after this. Moreover, she would surely desire to uphold Papyruses life motif. They were similar in many ways, but this was new to him. She stood slowly before him, her knees seemingly close to buckling beneath her, and smoothed down her skirt before looking back up at him evenly. Her brows were furrowed, her cheeks stained with tears, yet she seemed so... Sans mirrored her expression and extended an arm to her, the scarf within his clasp. He offered it to her. She hesitated for a moment, her hand outstretched part-way. Gazed at him with a silent enquiry. Then, once he nodded in approval, took it as though she were handling a baby bird. Hushed, gentle and with purpose and sentimentality. Her fingers felt fragile as she smoothed the creases of the material. She did not do what Sans expected and bury her face into it, but rather began to tie it around her neck, wearing it in the same fashion his brother had. The Cape hung lower than it had on Papyrus, but it would not pose any threat to her safety. Glancing at him once again, she finally spoke.

“What now?” Sans considered her question. What  _did_  happen next? Usually he was by himself and would shortcut to the Judgement Hall. But this time, he had company. He couldn't leave Celestine by herself - she'd wormed her way into their lives unexpectedly, been there when they needed her and had never given up on them. He wasn't about to dump her with Alphys then run off to kill the kid, as much as he desired to. He studied her quietly; no, knowing her, she wouldn't give up. She'd learnt _that_ from Papyrus, that was for sure. If he left her behind he wouldn't ever hear the last of it. Then again, he'd always fought the kid by his lonesome. Always won alone. Always lost alone. He'd never had assistance - perhaps this would swing the odds into his favour. Perhaps this was the answer to all their troubles. But for now... He ought to take her to the True Lab and allow her to relax a little before anything big happens. Alphys could maybe keep her company while he awaited hopefully for an early reset. They had some time. Undyne would keep them busy for a while. She always did.

“Well, I guess all we can do is wait until we're needed at the castle. We probably have a few hours to spare.” Celestine arched a brow.

“This sounds like a regular occurrence for you.”

“You have no idea, kid.” Sans couldn't be bothered to hide the resets from her. The others that knew about the resets were Alphys and Papyrus and that's only because they were affiliated with...  _him._  Sans shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets, moving past her with deliberate caution and jerked his head for her to follow. Once he heard her footsteps fall into line with his own, he elaborated a little; “There's a lot of unexplainable bullshittery that goes on down here. It never used to be like this but...” He sighed, pressing his hand against a metal plate upon the wall. Near to them, elevator doors slid open with a soft  _clunk_ , granting them access to the rest of the building. “Shit happens, ya know?” Celestine snorted in response and tugged gently at the scarf wrapped securely around her neck.  
“Yeah. I know.”

The elevator ride was silent, yet not awkward. Although she seemed determined earlier, Sans could feel the sadness leave her in waves. She would shuffle her feet and shift her weight, pull at the scarf quietly and dip her chin into it. After a few moments, he slid his hand out of his pocket and gently took hers into his own. He squeezed it softly.

Celestines nose disappeared beneath the scarf and her pink hair draped over her face, but the fragile squeeze in return let him know she was thankful for his company. Finally, the elevator gave a gentle  _ping_  before the doors slid open and, in front of them, stood Alphys. She seemed expectant and already mournful, despite not having uttered a word to her as of yet. She offered a weak smile to the two of them, her gaze drifting from Sans to Celestine. Sans grimaced – this was the first time Alphys and Celestine had met in person. He wished it hadn’t been in such a shitty circumstance. It couldn’t be helped. Alphys seemed to want to say something, but she noted the scarf wrapped around Celestines neck and shook her head wordlessly. Pushing her glasses up her long, slim face, she turned her back to them and began to meander away.

“Th- The civilians are t- this way.” She spoke in a voice that wavered, but the anxiety that she was desperately attempting to suppress was apparent upon her strained expression. Sans fell into step behind her, tugging Celestine along with him. The corridors they walked down were solemnly quiet, only the echoes of their footsteps were any indication of life. The surfaces that lined the walls were thick with dust, and yet they felt so familiar to Celestine – like she had walked the paths in a different life. She angled her chin towards Sans slightly, whose eye lights lifted to meet her inquisitive stare, but found she remained to gaze at the old tattered picture frames that were once vibrant with colours.

“Where are we?” She whispered. Before them, Alphys turned her head a fraction, as though uncertain if she should answer. Instead, Sans responded for her.

“The True Lab.” He replied quietly, as though afraid to unsettle the dust that surrounded them. “Beneath the Lab, further into the core, there’s the True Lab. It’s… the safest place in the whole of the Underground. Been unused for years now.”

“I see.” Celestine replied with furrowed brows. Intrusive thoughts began to prod at her once again. She couldn’t stop herself from wondering if they should have come here before Papyrus had run into the Human. If it was so safe, why did it take so long for them to hear about it? As a matter of fact, why did it take so long to find out about the _human_? Alphys used her yellow claws to open a door at the end of one of the many corridors, revealing a brightened room full of many people. They sat upon beds that lay in neat rows across the room, as well as the floor that also seemed to be covered in dust. Celestine swept her gaze across the room. There was no sign of Toriel. No sign of Papyrus. A grim reminder that they were both dead. She dipped her chin into the scarf once again, holding her breath.

“Where’s the King?” Sans asked, although his tone sounded uninterested. Alphys made a noise that seemed caught in the middle of a sigh and a groan.

“In the c- castle. He’s stubborn, you kn- know that.” Sans only hummed in response. She was right, he _did_ know that. He knew where everyone in the Underground was right now, as well as who is and isn’t present within the True Lab’s room. But Celestine didn’t. He looked up at her, chin tucked neatly into Papyrus’s scarf, eyes hidden behind her hair but he didn’t need to see her to know she was holding back tears once again. He almost felt… _guilty_. He knew that the chances of the kid resetting were pretty high and that she wouldn’t remember any of this once it had triggered. In fact, even Sans’ memory dwindled at times, during the resets. There was a questionable number of gaps in his life – he couldn’t remember anything before his 22nd birthday, five years ago. He had once looked as deep into the questions as he could go, but he had discovered nothing of great importance at the time. The fact that Celestine had appeared during this new timeline made him wonder if it was time for that fact to change. It couldn’t just be a coincidence… could it? The only indication of his past that he could grasp were the nightmares he had from time to time – the cracked and solemn face of someone who felt so familiar, but he had no idea of who or what they were. It felt as though someone were trying to reach out to him, but to no avail. He watched quietly as Alphys took Celestines other hand and held it within her claws, patting it gently while offering her condolences and her support. Sans couldn’t hear them, he was too distracted by the room that was bustling full of anxious people. He let go of her hand after a gentle squeeze and departed the two, sauntering into the midst of the commotion, sensing the unease and the silent cries for help that others sent in his direction. It was a vicious cycle of Deja-Vu – the same path he had walked hundreds of times before. He wondered if the kid would every grow tired of this torment. They would kill everyone, reset, give them the ending and then disappear for a while. Then back they would come, resetting once again when they felt the need for mass destruction once again. He didn’t understand how or why this happened. He wanted to, but every time he got close to the answer, the kid would reset again and his memory would fizzle, leaving him with only the sensation that he had a breakthrough within the back of his mind. Sans sighed as he approached a singular being that hid away in the corner of the room, arms folded as they scrutinised the situation behind thickly rimmed glasses.

“Hey, Grillbz.” Sans murmured towards the flame monster. Grillby didn’t move – his gaze had already landed upon the small skeleton. His flames ascended slowly; the only indication that he, too, was feeling the grief of the situation.

“Papyrus…?” He spoke carefully, a question he didn’t need to elaborate on. Sans only shook his head – how many times had he had this conversation? “Shit, Sans…” He replied as Sans shoved his hands in his pockets and leant against the wall beside him. Grillby didn’t seem disturbed by his lack of emotion – he was familiar with Sans not bearing any indication of sorrow. He had always been one for hiding his weaknesses. Grillby had always been an unknown entity to Sans – they were certainly friends, but, at times, he felt as though Grillby knew more about him that even _he_ did. Now was one of those times – he didn’t question his lack of sorrow or the way his demeanour barely shifted. Instead, he lifted his gaze to where Celestine and Alphys now sat – It seemed they had something in common. The weight of dread in the air meant it was only a matter of time until Undyne failed to stop the Human from completing their task. “And her?” He asked suddenly, causing Sans to lift his eye lights in surprise, before following the direction he glared in. “How is she faring with the loss?”

“Heh. Not well.” Sans replied quietly. “But she’s… okay. She’s acting tougher than she feels.” The comment would sound strange to most, but Grillby had always seemed to know how Sans could see right through people. He knew their feelings, their regrets and their crimes. Grillby made a noise that sounded somewhere between a grunt and a snort.

“So, better than you, then?”

“Heheh. Always better than me.” Sans sighed. “But that’s not hard.” Grillby gave him a sidelong glance, pushing his glasses up his face. He seemed to want to say something, but instead he fell silent.

“They seemed to be good friends.” He finally commented, as though he were trying to change the subject, but also steering it in a similar direction. “It’s a shame. Papyrus seemed so happy.”

“He was.” Sans replied, looking downwards towards his slippers. “It was like he’d finally found someone that matched his…”

“Passion?” Grillby finished for him. Sans snickered.

“Yeah, that’s one way to put it.” Grillby chuckled, a low, rasping hum in his chest that sounded comforting to Sans. Even though he’d gone through this more times than he could count, seeing his brother turn to dust before his eyes still pained him. He wasn’t sure if his soul would ever heal from the first time.

“Listen, Sans.” Grillby spoke suddenly, causing Sans to lift his chin to eye him once again. “There’s something you should know, before this kid comes and kills us all.” His flames turned a shade of rose – Sans arched a brow. Was he… confessing to him?? “I’ve been wondering if I should tell you this for a while, but I figure if we’re going to die anyway it may as well be now. Sans, I—” Sirens blared, cutting his words off and causing them both to look upwards towards the speakers that projected such an irritating sound. It was going as predicted, Sans concluded, patting Grillby’s shoulder.

“We’ll talk about this later, ‘kay?” He gave him a weak smile, pushing himself away from the stability of the wall. “I’ve got something I need to do.” Grillby nodded once, his flames returning to their normal ambience, seeming a little relieved.

“Understandable. I’ll be seeing you later.” Sans stared at him for a moment, the joke swimming around his mind both inappropriate and an inside one. It would be wasted on Grillby. Instead he said;

“Yeah. Smell ya later, Grillbster.” Sans could hear Grillby make a disgruntled noise behind him as he turned to weave his way through the crowd to where Alphys was beginning to hush the civilians, explaining what the sirens meant. He nodded to her, before standing in front of Celestine and taking her trembling hands within her own,

“Hey, kiddo. Don’t worry, ‘kay?” He grinned to her; his smile weak but convincing enough for the time being. Celestine’s brows were knitted into a small, worrisome frown.

“What does a reset mean?” She replied quietly, “Alphys didn’t have time to explain.”

“It means it’ll reset to whenever the kid fell down here.” He murmured in a hushed manner, squeezing her hands with unimpeded excitement and relief. “That was only this morning, wasn’t it?”

“You mean… before…?”

“Yeah, bud.” His smile grew slightly, lopsided but genuine, if not a little nervous. “Before then. It’ll be alright.”

“But what if they do it again?” She said quietly. “What’s stopping them?”

“Truthfully, bucko, I can’t say what they’re gonna decide to do.” He lifted his gaze as a countdown began to blare throughout the speakers, resonating throughout the hall. “But, normally when a reset happens, they regret what they’ve done and they want to try again.” He considered that notion. Perhaps they had seen Celestine’s grief and that alone was enough to change their hearts. Maybe his theory was right all along. Maybe she _was_ the key to get their ending. “Listen, buddy. Pal. You’re not gonna remember a thing, ‘kay?”

“Nothing?”

“Nada.” He could feel the impending momentary snap into the void. The countdown had reached ten seconds. “It’ll just feel like another day.”

“I feel sick.” Celestine said suddenly, and Sans snorted a little.

“Yeah. That’ll happen.” The nausea grasped him, too. It was time. “Hold onto your ass, kid. It’s gonna be a little bit shit for the next few minutes.”

 

And then their grip upon each other’s hands fizzled away, replaced by the gentle caress of the void.


End file.
